Google has launched its long anticipated presentation tool, thus completing the initial version of its office suite. Google first announced their PowerPoint competitor back in April at the Web 2.0 Expo, and along the way acquired startup Zenter to beef up their efforts.
In conjunction with the launch, Google has renamed “Docs & Spreadsheets” to the more appropriate “Google Docs,” and integrated presentations smoothly with the company’s previously available word processing and spreadsheet offerings. The interface for creating and editing a presentation is a similar look and feel to PowerPoint, with a rich text editor, the option to insert images, and even a few themes to choose from. Additionally, you can import PowerPoint files into Docs where they can then be edited and shared.
Similar to Google’s earlier released products for word processing and spreadsheets, Google’s new presentation feature allows for collaborative editing, keeps track of revisions, and includes a real-time chat. Additionally, there is an option for presenters to conduct a slide show to a selected audience, making the software a very rudimentary competitor to services like WebEx and GoToMeeting.
For users who are already familiar with Google Docs word processing and spreadsheet programs, the user interface for presentations will feel quite familiar and easy to use. While it might be a little premature to call it a PowerPoint killer, the battle for office supremacy is now officially on.
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